Madrid, Spain Meeting Planning Overview

Capital of Spain since the 16th century, Madrid is now a modern metropolis with remnants of its Hapsburg past (early 16th - 17th centuries). Most of what remains today is the redesign of the city from the early 20th century. Internationally famous for its art collections, home to one of the world's foremost sporting clubs - Real Madrid, and headquarters of the World Tourism Organization - these reasons and more make Madrid MICE venues lively places.

One of the renowned MICE venues in this huge city is IFEMA, also known as the Feria de Madrid, boasting 200,000 square meters of exhibiting space, 12 halls and 3 convention and congress Centers. Popular Madrid MICE hotels include the 467-room Westin Palace, which has 20 meeting rooms, including the newly refurbished and very grand Espacio Palace for up to 800 persons; the luxurious Silken Puerta America, a trendy, stylish place with five event spaces for up to 1,000 persons, including the atmospheric Jean Nouvel Penthouse; and the 162-room Ritz Madrid, which has five spaces for MICE meetings, including the Salon Real for 400 persons and the Salon Alfonso XIII for about 250 guests.

Madrid is marked by a continental Mediterranean climate, characterized by cool winters, hot summers and low amounts of precipitation. Madrid's altitude and low humidity levels bring summer temperatures that average in the high 80s, with cooler nights averaging in the 60s. Winter temperatures often fall below freezing, with average highs in the low 50s and average lows in the mid-30s.

Snow rarely falls in the city. About 17 inches of rainfall occur throughout the year, with the most falling during the fall and spring months.

Madrid, Spain Airport Information

Adolfo Suarez Madrid–Barajas (MAD)

Located just 12 kilometers northeast of the capital, Adolfo Suarez Madrid–Barajas receives all international flights arriving in Madrid. One of Europe's most impressive international airports, Adolfo Suarez Madrid–Barajas has connections with more than 70 countries. The airport operates direct flights to more than 180 destinations. Adolfo Suarez Madrid–Barajas serves as a primary hub and maintenance base for Iberia, which is the flag carrier airline of Spain. The airline is also responsible for more than 60 percent of Barajas' traffic. Madrid Metro's Line 8 connects city center with the airport, taking less than 20 minutes to T4 and just 12 minutes to other terminals.

Madrid, Spain Public Transportation

Madrid Metro

One of the most extensive metro networks in the world, Madrid Metro is the second largest metro system in Western Europe. Metro is the fastest and most efficient and affordable way of getting around the city. The Line 8 of Madrid Metro dedicatedly serves passengers travelling to and from the Barajas International Airport - taking less than 20 minutes to T4 and only 12 minutes to the other three terminals.

Buses

Empresa Municipal de Transportes (EMT) operates a wide-spread bus network across Madrid. The city has 26 late night bus routes, which run every 35 minutes from 11:55 pm to 4 am. The Airport Express Shuttle provides 24/7/365 service. The journey from the center of Madrid to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport takes about 40 minutes.

Madrid, Spain Ground Transportation

Taxis

The white-colored taxis of Madrid bear a diagonal red band on the front door with the city emblem. Hailing a taxi in Madrid is as easy as raising your hand. Fares are calculated based on a price per kilometer and a price per hour. Fares are fixed for journeys between the airport and the inner M30 area, or vice versa.

Rental Cars

The city offers car2go, which is an electronic car hire service with a fleet of 500 cars throughout the city. The cars seat two people, which includes the driver. These electric cars can be booked via a mobile app. The cars are motorable within a radius of 53 square kilometers - the area inside the M-30 motorway.